So, spurred on by the spring, or mixing with healthy happy running mates, or sheer competitive silliness, I seemed to have signed myself up for two hilly off-roaders in the last 2 days.

One is a half marathon in North Wales at the end of May, for which I do not expect to be quite ready but am going to have a damn good go at anyway. The other is 21 miles of Derbyshire hills in September, for which I will do marathon training with extra hill reps. I am scared. And very excited.

Any narrow-shouldered flat-chested girls got tips for backpacks that don't chafe? I'll need to carry waterproofs and maps and stuff, and everything I've tried so far has friction-burnt me after 5 miles.

Don't be ashamed to walk some hills !!!! For those distances , you really can't afford for your HR to get over the aerobic zone ( except for the last few miles maybe) and the only way to stop that is to walk the hills!!!

Cheers all. Yes I will be walking some of the hills - one of the things that's lovely about trail and fell is the changes in pace and terrain. Road running is knackering in a different way ( and less pretty).